Module 8 Physics Problems

Lesson 1 Describing 8. Propeller A propeller spins at

1880 rev/min.
Rotational Motion a. What is its angular velocity in rad
Mastering Concepts b. What is the angular displacement of the
1. A bicycle wheel rotates at a constant propeller in 2.50 s?
25 rev/min. Is its angular velocity
decreasing, increasing, or constant? 9. The propeller in the previous problem
slows from 475 rev/min to 187 rev/min in
2. A toy rotates at a constant 5 rev/min. Is its 4.00 s. What is its angular acceleration?
angular acceleration positive, negative, or
zero? 10. An automobile wheel rotates at 2.50 rad/s.
How fast does a point 7.00 cm from the
3. Do all parts of Earth rotate at the same rate? center travel?
Explain.

4. A unicycle wheel rotates at a constant

14 rev/min. Is the total acceleration of a
point on the tire inward, outward, tangential,
or zero?

Mastering Problems
5. On a test stand a bicycle wheel is being
rotated about its axle so that a point on
the edge moves through 0.210 m. The
radius of the wheel is 0.350 m. Through
what angle (in rad) is the wheel rotated? 11. Washing Machine A washing machine’s
two spin cycles are 328 rev/min and
542 rev/min. The diameter of the drum
is 0.43 m.
a. What is the ratio of the centripetal
accelerations for the fast and slow spin
cycles? Recall that
b. What is the ratio of the linear velocity of
an object at the surface of the drum for
the fast and slow spin cycles?
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6. The outer edge of a truck tire that has a c. Find the maximum centripetal
radius of 45 cm has a velocity of 23 m/s. acceleration in terms of g for the
What is the angular velocity of the tire in washing machine in the previous
rad/s? problem.
12 . A laboratory ultracentrifuge is designed to
7. A steering wheel is rotated through 128°. Its produce a centripetal acceleration of
radius is 22 cm. How far would a point on 0.35×106 g at a distance of 2.50 cm from
the steering wheel’s edge move? the axis. What angular velocity in rev/min is
required?

Inspire Physics 1 Physics Problems

 Module 8 continued

Lesson 2 Rotational 18. A bicycle wheel with a radius of 38 cm is

given an angular acceleration of 2.67 rad/s2
Dynamics by applying a force of 0.35 N on the edge
Mastering Concepts of the wheel. What is the wheel’s moment
of inertia?
13 . Think about some possible rotations of your
textbook. Are the moments of inertia about
19. Toy Top A toy top consists of a rod with a
these three axes the same or different?
diameter of 8.0-mm and a disk of mass
Explain.
0.0125 kg and a diameter of 3.5 cm. The
moment of inertia of the rod can be
14 . An auto repair manual specifies the torque
neglected. The top is spun by wrapping a
needed to tighten bolts on an engine. Why
string around the rod and pulling it with a
does it not mention force?
velocity that increases from zero to 3.0 m/s
over 0.50 s.
15 . Ranking Task Rank the torques on the five
doors shown from least to greatest. Note a. What is the resulting angular velocity of
that the magnitude of all the forces is the the top?
same. b. What force was exerted on the string?

20. A toy consisting of two balls, each 0.45 kg,

at the ends of a 0.46-m-long, thin,
lightweight rod shown in the diagram. Find
the moment of inertia of the toy. The
moment of inertia is to be found about the
center of the rod.

Mastering Problems
16 . Wrench A bolt is to be tightened with a
torque of 8.0 N∙m. If you have a wrench that
is 0.35 m long, what is the least amount of Lesson 3 Equilibrium
force you must exert? Mastering Concepts
21. To balance a car’s wheel, it is placed on a
17. What is the torque on a bolt produced by a
vertical shaft and weights are added to
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15-N force exerted perpendicular to a

make the wheel horizontal. Why is this
wrench that is 25 cm long?
equivalent to moving the center of mass
until it is at the center of the wheel?)

22. A stunt driver maneuvers a monster truck

so that it is traveling on only two wheels.
Where is the center of mass of the truck

23. Suppose you stand flat-footed, then you

rise and balance on tiptoe. If you stand with
your toes touching a wall, you cannot
balance on tiptoe. Explain.

24. Why does a gymnast appear to be floating

on air when she raises her arms above her
head in a leap?

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 Module 8 continued

25. Why is a vehicle with wheels that have a 31. Bicycle Wheels Three bicycle wheels have
large diameter more likely to roll over than masses that are distributed in three
a vehicle with wheels that have a smaller different ways: mostly at the rim, uniformly,
diameter? and mostly at the hub. The wheels all have
the same mass. If equal torques are applied
Mastering Problems to them, which one will have the greatest
angular acceleration? Which one will have
26. A 12.5-kg board, 4.00 m long, is being held the least?
up on one end by Ahmed. He calls for help
in lifting the board, and Judi responds. 32. Bowling Ball When a bowling ball leaves a
a. What is the least force that Judi could bowler’s hand, it does not spin. After it has
exert to lift the board to the horizontal gone about half the length of the lane,
position? What part of the board should however, it does spin. Explain how its
she lift to exert this force? rotation rate increased.
b. What is the greatest force that Judi
could exert to lift the board to the 33. Flat Tire Suppose your car has a flat tire.
horizontal position? What part of the You find a lug wrench to remove the nuts
board should she lift to exert this force? from the bolt studs. You cannot turn the
nuts. Your friend suggests ways you might
27. A car’s specifications state that its weight produce enough torque to turn them. What
distribution is 53 percent on the front tires three ways might your friend suggest?
and 47 percent on the rear tires. The wheel
base is 2.46 m. Where is the car’s center of 34. Why can you ignore forces that act on the
mass? axis of rotation of an object in static
equilibrium when determining the net
28. Two people are holding up the ends of a torque?
4.25-kg wooden board that is 1.75 m long. A
6.00-kg box sits on the board, 0.50 m from 35. Tightrope Walkers Tightrope walkers
one end as shown. What forces do the two often carry long poles that sag so that the
people exert? ends are lower than the center. How does a
pole increase the tightrope walker’s
stability? Hint: Consider both center of mass
and moment of inertia.

36. Merry-Go-Round While riding a merry-go-

round, you toss a key to a friend standing
on the ground. For your friend to be able to
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catch the key, should you toss it a second

Applying Concepts or two before you reach the spot where
your friend is standing or wait until your
29. Two gears are in contact and rotating. One
friend is directly beside you? Explain.
is larger than the other as shown. Compare
their angular velocities. Also compare the
37. In solving problems about static equilibrium,
linear velocities of two teeth that are in
why is the axis of rotation often placed at a
contact.
point where one or more forces are acting
on the object?

30. How can you experimentally find the

moment of inertia of an object?
Inspire Physics 3 Physics Problems
 Module 8 continued

38. Ranking Task Rank the objects shown 42. A steel beam that is 6.50 m long weighs
below according to their moments of 325 N. It rests on two supports, 3.00 m
inertia, from least to greatest. Each has a apart, with equal amounts of the beam
radius of (R) and total mass (M), which is extending from each end. Suki, who weighs
uniformly distributed throughout the 575 N, stands on the beam in the center
shaded region. Specifically indicate and then walks toward one end. How close
any ties. to the end can she walk before the beam
begins to tip?

43. The second hand on a watch is 12 mm long.

What is the velocity of its tip?

44. A cylinder with a 50 cm diameter as shown

Mixed Review is at rest on a surface. A rope is wrapped
39. A wooden door of mass m and length l is around the cylinder and pulled. The
held horizontally by Dan and Ajit. Dan cylinder rolls without slipping.
suddenly drops his end.
a. What is the angular acceleration of the
door just after Dan lets go?
b. Is the acceleration constant? Explain.

40. Hard Drive A hard drive on a computer

spins at 7200 rpm (revolutions per minute).
If the drive is designed to start from rest and
reach operating speed in 1.5 s, what is the
angular acceleration of the disk? a. After the rope has been pulled a
distance of 2.50 m at a constant speed,
41. Topsoil Ten bags of topsoil, each weighing how far has the center of mass of the
75 N, are placed on a 2.43-m-long sheet of cylinder moved?
wood. They are stacked 0.50 m from one
b. If the rope was pulled a distance of
end of the sheet of wood as shown. Two
2.50 m in 1.25 s, how fast was the center
people lift the sheet of wood, one at each
of mass of the cylinder moving?
end. Ignoring the weight of the wood, how
much force must each person exert? c. What is the angular velocity of the
cylinder?

45. Basketball A basketball is rolled down the

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court. A regulation basketball has a

diameter of 24.1 cm, a mass of 0.60 kg, and
a moment of inertia of 5.8×10–3 kg·m2. The
basketball’s initial velocity is 2.5 m/s.
a. What is its initial angular velocity?
b. The ball rolls a total of 12 m. How many
revolutions does it make?
c. What is its total angular displacement?

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 Module 8 continued

46. The basketball in the previous problem

stops rolling after traveling 12 m.
Thinking Critically
51 . Analyze and Conclude A banner is
a. If its acceleration was constant, what suspended from a horizontal, pivoted pole,
was its angular acceleration? as shown. The pole is 2.10 m long and
b. What torque was acting on it as it was weighs 175 N. The banner, which weighs
slowing down? 105 N, is suspended 1.80 m from the pivot
point or axis of rotation. What is the tension
47. Speedometers Most speedometers in in the cable supporting the pole?
automobiles measure the angular velocity
of the transmission and convert it to speed.
How will increasing the diameter of the tires
affect the reading of the speedometer?

48. A box is dragged across the floor using a

rope that is a distance h above the floor.
The coefficient of friction is 0.35. The box is
0.50 m high and 0.25 m wide. Find the
force that just tips the box.

49. Lumber You buy a 2.44-m-long piece of 10

cm × 10 cm lumber. Your friend buys a
piece of the same size and cuts it into two 52. Analyze and Conclude A pivoted lamp
lengths, each 1.22 m long as shown. You pole is shown. The pole weighs 27 N, and
each carry your lumber on your shoulders. the lamp weighs 64 N.

a. Which load is easier to lift? Why?

b. Both you and your friend apply a torque
with your hands to keep the lumber from
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a. What is the torque caused by each

rotating. Which load is easier to keep force?
from rotating? Why?
b. Determine the tension in the rope
50. Surfboard Harris and Paul carry a supporting the lamp pole.
surfboard that is 2.43 m long and weighs
143 N. Paul lifts one end with a force of 53. Reverse Problem Write a physics problem
57 N. with real-life objects for which the following
equation would be part of the solution:
a. What force must Harris exert?
 rad  1 rad 
∆θ  20  ( 4 s ) −  3.5 2  ( 4 s )
2
b. What part of the board should Harris lift? =
 s  2 s 

54. Problem Posing Complete this problem so

that it can be solved using the concept of
torque: “A painter carries a 3.0 m, 12-kg
ladder….”

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 Module 8 continued

55. Apply Concepts Consider a point on the

edge of a wheel rotating about its axis.
a. Under what conditions can the
centripetal acceleration be zero?
b. Under what conditions can the
tangential (linear) acceleration be zero?
c. Can the tangential acceleration be
nonzero while the centripetal
acceleration is zero? Explain.
d. Can the centripetal acceleration be
nonzero while the tangential
acceleration is zero? Explain.

56. Apply Concepts When you apply the

brakes in a car, the front end dips. Why?

Writing in Physics
57. Astronomers know that if a natural satellite
is too close to a planet, it will be torn apart
by tidal forces. The difference in the
gravitational force on the part of the satellite
nearest the planet and the part farthest
from the planet is stronger than the forces
holding the satellite together. Research the
Roche limit and determine how close the
Moon would have to orbit Earth to be at the
Roche limit.

58. Automobile engines are rated by the torque

that they produce. Research and explain
why torque is an important quantity to
measure.
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Inspire Physics 6 Physics Problems